Manifesto: need is high in education
What does the future of education look like? Youth organizations are very concerned and are joining forces. Together they call on politicians to keep education affordable and accessible.
From pupil to PhD student, from young CDA member to SP member: twenty-two organizations unite in a 'youth coalition'. This afternoon they present a manifesto in which they call on politicians to better defend the interests of young people:
The costs of education and housing are skyrocketing, there are too few suitable jobs and starter homes. Those who care about the future listen to the voice of young people.
Too late
Initiator Jarmo Berkhout of the National Student Union realized that he cannot tackle all problems on his own. “It is about the interests of our generation, whether you are left or right, in secondary vocational education or doing your PhD: education is under pressure,” he says. “Something has to change now. In five years time it will be too late and no young person will remember that there is another way. ”
That is why Berkhout sought support from all youth organizations in the Netherlands. And that worked: almost everyone responded enthusiastically. “They felt the urgency,” says Berkhout. "And now is the moment: the campaigns for the elections are about to start."
Only the JOVD withdrew at the last minute. On closer inspection, the youth party could not agree with all points of the manifesto. “We lacked the space to negotiate,” says Vice President Koen Bokhorst. “For example, the manifesto now states that tuition fees must be reduced to keep education accessible. We don't have to. Studying is simply not cheap and the money can be put to good use for new investments in education. ”
It is a pity that the JOVD has withdrawn, says Berkhout. Other parties whose parent party had voted for the loan system, such as D66 and GroenLinks, do participate in the youth coalition. “They are also concerned about the accessibility of education,” says Berkhout. “We shouldn't limit the discussion to the loan system either, as things keep getting stuck there. Let's all look for other ways to improve accessibility. ”
Flow through
The young people are also concerned about the increasing inequality of opportunities. More money should be made available for vulnerable young people, such as students with a disability or first generation students. Furthermore, the flow of students would falter. Nowadays, it often costs them a lot of money to continue studying, because they do not receive student finance during a bridging program, for example.
They also argue in favor of giving students more freedom. Let them design their own curriculum, the youth organizations advise: “Elective courses are not only essential for broad development, they are also important for progression. By giving students the space to add relevant courses to their program, they can better link up with further education. ”
Experiential experts
The manifesto also argues in favor of improving the participation of students and teachers. "They are closest to the educational process and should therefore be seen as experts by experience." Involve them earlier in the decision-making process and give them sufficient space for this, the young people write in the manifesto.
Berkhout expects politicians to listen. "There are so many of us, they can't just put this aside." The parties will consider today whether the collaboration is a one-off or whether further actions will follow.
